Title: Another New Hope, part 2Rating: PGCharacters: Kara, Sam, Jean, Lee, SaulSpoilers: NONE. Unless you've never seen Star Wars, in which case this fic is gonna blow the whole thing for you.

Summary: Young Kara Starbuck longs for adventure on her dry, dusty planet of Delphi. Adventure lands in her lap with a message from a desperate prince, a rogueish pirate captain, and an old man with words of destiny.

Author's Note: This a BSG/SW Mash-up AU Fusion Thing. Mostly, it's crack, overlaying BSG on Star Wars, sort of. In my own way. Using a lot of original dialogue (which you'd think woud make this easier, but actually doesn't).

Centurions were closing in, and Kara exchanged fire with them trying to keep them back. Beside her, Anders was also grimly plugging toasters. Then they had help suddenly, as one of the gun turrets from the ship suddenly fired and the bay door exploded.

"Kara!" Anders shouted. "GO!"

She didn't need more prompting, running up the ramp for the safety of the ship's interior, Anders at her heels. "Jean, punch it!" he yelled. Kara spied the ramp control and hit it to retract.

Several shots hit the ramp, but it continued to close. The ship darted for the sky, tossing them to the floor. Anders didn't pause, scrambling back to his feet, and darting to Kara's left to the forward part of the ship.

She followed more slowly, holding on to things as the ship climbed on a steep vector upward. The ship was bigger inside than she'd thought with a corridor fore to aft, going to the engines in the back and a cramped quarters area she had to pass through. It was old and there was conduit and controls stuffed everywhere, but it was clean and well-cared for.

She got to the cockpit just as the ship put on the final thrust to climb out of the gravity well, and she let herself fall into one of the passenger seats, watching through the front windows as the sky thinned and gave way to endless black and stars.

At last. For so long, she'd dreamed about getting off Delphi and now it was actually happening. It didn't seem quite real.

"Sam," Barolay murmured, pointing to something on the console.

"Great," he muttered. "Make the calculations, this is gonna be close."

"What is it?" Saul asked.

"There's a frakking baseship coming at us," he answered tightly. "You people sure are popular."

"Can't we just jump?" Kara asked.

"If you want to end up inside a star. I'd rather not be deep fried, personally," he returned, fingers working at the controls, and spinning the ship around to avoid a blast from the baseship's cannon.

Kara leaned forward, reading the center screen. "It's gaining on us. I thought this was a fast ship?"

"It is. Once we get in hyperspace, we'll be fine. Don't worry. I've done this before." But despite his reassuring words there was some anxiety in his voice, as he asked, "Jean?"

"Soon," she answered, shortly.

"Now would be better." Anders sent the ship into another spin, narrowly avoiding a bolt from the baseship. The ship's engines whined, pushed to the limit, and still the baseship got closer.

It fired again and this time, they were hit - rattling in their seats, but the shields kept them from too much damage.

"Got it," Jean proclaimed and punched the keys before her.

Anders turned the ship again, so the baseship now filled the forward windows with the bright curve of Delphi behind it. The Cylon baseship was immense, many times the size of this freighter, and yet oddly beautiful, as if it sprang out of some sea. Kara's lips parted in disbelief. "You're heading right at it! Are you crazy?"

"Shields are strongest in front," he retorted calmly, just as the baseship fired at them once more. The shields flared with light but the ship barely trembled. He kept an eye on his screens waiting for the ready light, "In three... two... one." His hand pulled the lever and the starfield smeared into brilliance. And then there was nothing, only the void of hyperspace.

He let out a breath of relief. "We're safe." He held out his fist and Barolay touched it with her own in celebration. "That was a bit more excitement than I like for a quiet passenger runs," he added, dryly, but he was also smiling, so Kara had the definite impression he really had enjoyed himself.

He stood. "Let me show you around. I'm not exactly set up for passengers."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Saul answered. "As long as we get where we're going."

"We should be at Caprica this time tomorrow. This way." He automatically ducked his head through the hatch as he led the way out.

The one and only passenger cabin was cramped, and Kara didn't want to go in there until she had to. Besides the cockpit and lower gun turrets, there was only the main room, which was the biggest in the whole ship. There was a kitchenette to one side, and a seating area.

Later, Anders cooked, making a thick soup with fat noodles and strange tiny crab-like creatures. "Picon delicacy," he announced. "I had a crate of them break open before delivery, so we get to eat well for a change."

"You're from Picon?" Kara asked curiously.

He shrugged. "Mostly." He put crackers out and poured ambrosia for everyone.

Kara expected to have to force herself to eat it or just eat the crackers, but the soup was actually pretty tasty, if salty. She didn't tell Anders, though.

After dinner, Barolay went to the cockpit, and Anders cleaned the dishes, while Saul had her take out her father's lightsaber. "We'll start training you to use it. There's nothing more dangerous than a weapon you don't know how to use properly."

"Okay." She held it in her hand, but didn't light it.

"The lightsaber is the traditional weapon of the Jedi Knights, who were the protectors of the galaxy before the Cylons came. Jedi were trained to use the Force, the energy of the universe. A Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him..."

Anders snorted, getting both Kara and Saul's attention.

"You have a problem?" Saul asked.

Anders settled on the wall couch, stretching out his legs and leaning back. "'Protectors'. Did a good job with that, didn't they? Their stupid hokey religion was no match for real weapons and an enemy that doesn't die."

Kara frowned at him, wondering why he was so hostile. "You don't believe in the Force?"

"I've been all over this galaxy, seen some strange things, and I've never seen sign of some invisible energy field controlling anything. And even if it did exist, it wasn't much use, was it?" he returned, bitterness coating his voice. Then as if he'd said too much, he got back to his feet. "But don't let me stop you. I've got things I should be doing."

He disappeared down the passage toward the engines.

Kara turned away from him to find Saul still watching after him. When he realized Kara was looking at him he returned her look with a sigh. "We failed the galaxy. He's right about that."

"The Cylons --"

He shook his head once decisively negative, cutting her off, and his face was sad. "It was a traitor that brought us down. The Cylons wouldn't have won if it hadn't been for one of our own, who betrayed us."

"Oh." She looked at the unlit lightsaber in her hand. "Is that how my father died?"

"Yes. He fell that day, along with all the other Jedi. Only a handful escaped. But," he slapped his legs, and said, forcefully changing the subject, "that is a story for another time. Let's start your training."

It didn't take long before the drone was darting around her, and she was swinging at it with the blade.

But it continually evaded her reach until her frustration was peaking and she was about ready to lose her temper. Then to add insult to injury, the drone fired a little dart of energy into her ass. "OW! Damn it! You little -- " She lunged forward, feeling something flow into her and give her strength.

"Kara!" Saul snapped, his voice rocking her back, when she was reaching to strike. The lightsaber was torn away and flew across the room, to land in his hand. "No. You must never act in anger. A Jedi's power is found in calm and deliberate action. Stretch out with your feelings."

He handed her the lightsaber back. "Try again."

* * *

Sleep proved elusive. She had wanted to practice more with her lightsaber, but Saul had stopped the training so she could rest. But every time she closed her eyes, all she saw were images of Delphi and her aunt and uncle's faces. So Kara rose to get a drink. All was quiet on the ship - Saul was asleep in the other bunk, and it appeared Anders and Barolay must be in their small quarters as well, because the main room and cockpit were deserted when she went to check.

At least she thought so, until she heard noises coming from aft. She found Anders in the small passageway behind the ramp, toward the engines. He was on his back on the floor, his upper half buried underneath a removed panel in the wall.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

He jerked, startled by the unexpected noise, and hit his head on something. "Frak. Ow." Then he wormed out of there and looked up at her. His cheek had a smear of dark grease and a mark on his forehead where he'd hit it. "I thought you'd be asleep."

"Wanted a drink." She held up the cup in explanation. "What are you doing?"

"The port stabilizers got a little wonky after the hits we took against the baseship. So I'm fixing it," he answered, with a shrug.

"Need help?" she asked. "I'm pretty handy."

He hesitated, and for a moment she could see the echo of her own sleeplessness in his face, before he looked away. "Sure. If you want."

She got down on the floor next to him, and pushed underneath as well. It was a tangle of conduits and circuits behind the panel. "How the frakking hell do you find anything in this mess?"

"I built it," he returned with a shrug. "I get twenty percent more power, and fifteen percent more speed out of this ship than when she was new. I take care of the C-Buc, and she takes care of me." He patted the far bulkhead wall, affectionately. Then he got to work replacing shorted circuits in silence. Kara handed him new breakers from the pile next to her when he held out a hand for them, but found herself watching his face more than she was watching the work. Quiet like this and intent on his work, he seemed different, not the brash and annoying pilot he was the rest of the time.

It was cozy and she was feeling a little drowsy and open, when she asked, "Um, can I ask, is Barolay your wife? You guys sort of have that vibe, but then you don't, and I'm kinda confused."

He laughed softly. "No. She's like my sister. I've known her a long time. Since... well, never mind. Why?" He turned his head to look at her, and at these close quarters with the only light coming from the small halogen stick he'd hung above them, his eyes seemed bright. "You interested?"

He smirked. "Oh, so it is me. We've been shot at together, that's more than some people have-- " he trailed off, raising his brows suggestively.

She groaned. "Gods, you are insufferable." Kara pushed her way out of there, hearing him start to hum tunelessly to himself as he continued to work on his ship, apparently unbothered by her rejection.

* * *

Lee followed after Vader. His hands were manacled together, and he held his head up, refusing to acknowledge the fear seething in his stomach. Vader had already interrogated him and though his brain shied away from the memory, he knew he hadn't revealed anything. Nor would he. Not for anything, especially not pain. If Vader thought anyone of the house of Roslin was going to betray the resistance, he was completely mistaken. Not when each and every act of evil reinforced the need for the resistance.

Which didn't mean Lee was looking forward to more interrogation, though.

They'd transferred from Vader's baseship into some other vessel. He hadn't seen it from the outside, but the length of the corridors told him what it had to be. He was on the Battle Star.

They emerged from a lift into some sort of control room. There were Centurions standing guard, as well as Cylon clones everywhere, along with the humans who served the Empire sitting at control stations. And every single one of them stiffened when Vader went past.

They headed for a port window where a slim figure was standing in full uniform. Lee's stomach tightened another notch recognizing her just from the straight, long hair. She was another one, like Vader, whose crimes were vile and unspeakable. Two thousand people left to die in space, because they weren't as valuable as their jump engines, was just the beginning of the evil this woman had done.

Cain turned from the window. "Prince Lee, son of Senator Laura Roslin of Caprica. You don't know how hard it was to sign the order for your execution."

"I'm surprised you had the courage to do it yourself," Lee retorted.

Cain smiled thinly, and turned back to the window. "Before your execution, I invite you to be my special guest as we test the power of this battle station. You should know, Lee, you've determined our target today. Since you've been reluctant to give us the location of the rebel base, I've chosen to test this station on... your home planet of Caprica."

The station rotated just enough to bring the familiar blue-and white sphere of home in view. Panic filled him, flashing like lightning. Lee took a halting step forward, but Vader had an iron-hand on his shoulder to keep him from going closer. "No! Caprica is peaceful, we have no weapons -- " And oh Gods, his mother might be down there; she wasn't supposed to be there, but his little brother almost certainly was. "You can't!"

Cain was abruptly in his face, holding the blade of a knife against his throat. She hissed, "You would prefer another target? A military target? Then name the system."

He couldn't. He wouldn't. Not even for Caprica. But he could play for time. He focused his mind on Troy just in case Vader could pluck the actual location from his brain. He stared past Cain and the gleaming planet and then shut his eyes in capitulation. "Oh Gods. Troy," he whispered. "They're on Troy."

Cain pulled the knife back and stepped away. "There, you see, Vader? He can be reasonable." She tucked her hands behind her back. "Captain Fisk, start the firing sequence. You may fire when ready."

"What?" Lee's eyes popped open staring in horror. "No! But you said -- "

"No..." Lee whispered, his heart clenching tight in his chest as he listened to the ominous countdown and orders. And then he couldn't breathe at all, as the station's bright lights dimmed and a light like a star shot through space right into Caprica.

Then, blinding bright, it exploded.

In stunned disbelief he could only stare at the empty space and spreading debris of where it had been. His home. Millions of people snuffed out like a candle.

<3 I love Kara/Sam, and Sam/Jean, but that line made me almost wish for Kara/Jean. Only for a second though. This is one of the strangest crossovers to put Kara/Sam into, but it works so well for them!

appropriate icon is appropriate! (eta: yours, I mean, with the "fierce" *g*) She IS a good BFF. But luckily Jean can do things Wookies can't, so she'll have a bit more to do than stand there and NOT EVEN GET A MEDAL. /bitter on Chewie's behalf... *g*